Players to Watch: 2A State Finals

Thursday will be the tip-off for almost every level of the Oklahoma State Girls Basketball Finals. Today we will preview the 2A field and highlight a few players that could be difference-makers in the playoffs and in college someday soon. Good luck to everyone involved! <strong>2A Game 1 - Latta (25-4) vs. Dale (20-9) at Mustang High (2 p.m. Thursday)</strong> This one should be good. The two teams split the season series with Dale winning 48-44 at Latta and Latta winning 45-42 at the Kingston Tournament. Don’t expect this one to be much different. Latta is undefeated so far in the playoffs, while Dale lost to the best 2A team in the state, Vanoss, in overtime. <strong>Players to watch:</strong> Watching tape of Dale will show you two things. They love to make the extra pass and junior Danyn Long is an absolute beast behind the arc. She has a super-quick release and outstanding instincts on defense. She is a threat at both ends. For Latta, sophomore Jaylee Willis is a standout on a team that prides themselves on their tenacious defense. The 5’9" Willis has great size for a point guard and blankets her opponent for the entire possession. <strong>Prediction:</strong> Dale takes two out of three with superior shooting from behind the arc, 52-47. <strong>2A Game 2 - Hartshorne (21-5) vs. Silo (27-2) at Mustang High (3:30 p.m. Thursday)</strong> These two schools have not faced off this season and actually do not even share that many of the same opponents. Silo looks to be the better team having defeated almost everyone that they faced off with, including three 4A schools and four 3A schools. Their two losses this season were by one point each. They are dang good. That being said, Hartshorne only lost to one 2A team and that was in the Area Playoffs. <strong>Players to watch:</strong> Not many 2A teams have a 6’0" center. Even less have a 6’0" center that is a freshman and plays on one of the top grassroots teams in the state. Tiani Ellison is going to be one of the best in the class of 2023. Defensively, she is an absolute beast in the middle. There is nothing easy inside when Ellison is in the game. She has an improving offensive post game, too. Ozzlyn Lightle for Hartshorne is the senior leader of the team. She plays the passing lanes well, which leads to many fast breaks. On the fast break, she will always finish. "Oz" is a player that college coaches need to watch these last few games. <strong>Prediction:</strong> Silo is battle-tested and completely unafraid. They have won all but one tournament game by double-digits. They will win this one, too. Silo by 12, 56-44. <strong>2A Game 3 - Vanoss (26-2) vs. Amber-Pocasset (26-5) at Mustang (7 p.m. Thursday)</strong> Amber-Pocasset lost early in the season to Dale (20-9) then lost to Oklahoma Union (24-3) at Regionals. Other than those two losses, the Panthers have only lost to two non-2A schools. They are a very good team. Vanoss, though, is a great team. They beat really good teams - and beat them badly. However, it took overtime for them to beat Dale in the area tournament. <strong>Players to watch:</strong> You can not talk about Vanoss basketball without talking about center [player_tooltip player_id="30546" first="Emrie" last="Ellis"]. She is a wizard in the paint. She blocks shots with both hands, scores at will and has great rebounding instincts. The 6’2" junior is already committed to Arkansas. Sophomore Devynn Harris for Amber-Pocasset is a very well-rounded guard. She is quick and has very good size. If you leave Harris open, she will not miss. <strong>Prediction:</strong> Vanoss is just too good. it would take a David versus Goliath type of effort for Amber-Pocasset to stop -their run to the championship. Vanoss, 68-46. <strong>2A Game 4 - Caddo (25-2) vs. Howe (24-4) at Mustang (8:30 p.m. Thursday)</strong> This game has the potential to be the best of the day in 2A. Both teams share losses to Silo, with Howe fairing slightly better in only losing by 14. Caddo’s two losses were both to Silo by a combined 39 points. Howe has faced much better competition than the Bruins and their records show it. They lost to two 6A schools, but have not lost at all in the playoffs. <strong>Players to watch:</strong> Emily Robinson for Caddo is a threat to score every time she touches the ball. The freshman guard averages almost 15 points a game and shoots very well from outside. Howe’s Maddie Ramsey really has a nose for the ball. She is always around the play and fills the stat sheet with steals and blocks from her small forward position. The 5’9" sophomore is getting better at scoring and is definitely one to watch in the future. <strong>Prediction:</strong> Howe has been the hotter team so far in the playoffs and I think that trend will continue. The Bruins go down in this one, 65-55.